Widdecombe reveals her beauty tips

THE CONSERVATIVE health spokeswoman Ann Widdecombe is a true- blue Tory but today she reveals that she prefers something else entirely when it comes to nail polish. "I like Winter Berries and Powerful Peach, but you may well hate them," she says in an question and answer session with Independent readers.

Miss Widdecombe, known for her uncompromising views on gays, abortion and lone parents, seemed thrilled to be asked for her manicure secrets. "As this is the only beauty advice I am ever likely to be asked to give, I am going to make the most of it," she says, revealing that she uses Jessica or L'Oreal, and in rather strident colours too.

"I always use a base coat to avoid discolouring the nails and I use an oily drying agent rather than a spray so the colour does not dull," she says.

Miss Widdecombe admitted that she had been "head over heels, sick- to-the-stomach in love" and that she had no plans whatsoever to diet. "No way. I may be roly-poly but I am happy and a diet would just make me grumpy. However, if ever I feel I would like to lose weight I shall miss elevenses most, but I currently have no plans to do so."

She said the member of the Government she is mostly likely to ask for dinner is David Blunkett's guide dog, Lucy.

Question and Answers, Review, page 9